Massage Therapy for anxiety

What the research says...

Massage therapy has been identified as an effective intervention for managing anxiety in various populations, including cancer patients, individuals undergoing medical treatments, and those experiencing psychological distress. Research in this field has provided valuable insights into the effectiveness of massage therapy in alleviating anxiety symptoms and improving overall well-being. Several studies have highlighted the positive impact of massage therapy on anxiety levels, stress, depression, and mood in different clinical settings.

In a study by (Cassileth & Vickers, 2004), hospitalized cancer patients were randomized to receive massage therapy or control treatments. The results indicated that massage therapy led to significant reductions in anxiety, depression, fatigue, nausea, and pain. Similarly, Ahles et al. (1999) conducted a study on patients undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation and found that individuals in the massage group exhibited lower levels of state anxiety compared to the control group. These findings underscore the potential of massage therapy in mitigating anxiety and enhancing psychological well-being in patients facing challenging medical conditions.

Aromatherapy massage has also been investigated for its effects on anxiety management, particularly in palliative care settings. Wilkinson et al. (1999) conducted a study evaluating the impact of aromatherapy massage on anxiety in patients with cancer. The results showed a significant reduction in anxiety levels after each massage session, highlighting the potential of aromatherapy massage in promoting relaxation and reducing psychological distress.

Furthermore, massage therapy has been explored in various contexts, including labor and pediatric oncology. Chang et al. (2002) conducted a randomized controlled trial on the effects of massage during labor and found that supportive touch from a caregiver could alleviate anxiety and reduce pain levels in laboring individuals. In pediatric oncology, Post-White et al. (2008) investigated the effects of massage therapy on children with cancer and reported reductions in anxiety, depression, and cortisol levels in this population.

Moreover, systematic reviews and meta-analyses have provided comprehensive insights into the efficacy of massage therapy for anxiety management. Qin et al. (2020) conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness and safety of massage in treating anxiety and depression in cancer patients. The findings indicated that massage therapy could effectively relieve anxiety and depression symptoms in this population, highlighting the potential of massage as a supportive care intervention.

In conclusion, the current research on massage therapy for the treatment of anxiety demonstrates promising results across various patient populations and clinical settings. Massage therapists can leverage these findings to tailor their interventions and provide effective anxiety management strategies for their clients. By incorporating evidence-based massage techniques and approaches, massage therapists can play a crucial role in promoting mental health and well-being in individuals experiencing anxiety and psychological distress.

References

Massage therapy for symptom control: outcome study at a major cancer center

“…Several trials suggest that massage can reduce pain in cancer patients at varying stages of disease. 10,11 In the largest study to date, 87 hospitalized cancer patients were randomized to massage therapy or to control on a crossover basis. Pain and anxiety scores fell by approximately 40% during massage compared with little or no change during control sessions.…”

Barrie R. Cassileth, Andrew J. Vickers

2004 Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

Massage Therapy for Patients Undergoing Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation

“…This pattern is consistent with a study examining the impact of a 1-month course of daily massage in HIV-positive men where the largest gain in relaxation was seen in the first week of therapy. 6 The overall effects of massage on anxiety, depression, and mood were less robust; however, patients in the massage group scored significantly lower on the State Anxiety Inventory at the Midtreatment assessment. This is particularly interesting since: (1) State Anxiety was decreasing in the massage group but increasing in the control group, and (2) data from our previous study 19 suggested that this is one of the most distressing times during the BMT procedure, likely due to the fact that at the midtreatment point, patients feel at their worst physically.…”

Tim A. Ahles, Denise M. Tope, Briane Pinkson3 et al. 1999

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

An evaluation of aromatherapy massage in palliative care

“…The use of complementary therapies, such as massage and aromatherapy massage, is rising in popularity among patients and healthcare professionals. They are increasingly being used to improve the quality of life of patients, but there is little evidence of their efficacy. This study assessed the effects of massage and aromatherapy massage on cancer patients in a palliative care setting. We studied 103 patients, who were randomly allocated to receive massage using a carrier oil (massage) or massage using a carrier oil plus the Roman chamomile essential oil (aromatherapy massage). Outcome measurements included the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and a semi-structured questionnaire, administered 2 weeks postmassage, to explore patients' perceptions of massage. There was a statistically significant reduction in anxiety after each massage on the STAI (P < 0.001), and improved scores on the RSCL: psychological (P < 0.001), quality of life (P < 0.01), severe physical (P < 0.05), and severe psychological (P < 0.05) subscales for the combined aromatherapy and massage group. The aromatherapy group's scores improved on all RSCL subscales at the 1% level of significance or better, except for severely restricted activities. The massage group's scores improved on four RSCL subscales but these improvements did not reach statistical significance. Massage with or without essential oils appears to reduce levels of anxiety. The addition of an essential oil seems to enhance the effect of massage and to improve physical and psychological symptoms, as well as overall quality of life.…”

Sue Wilkinson, Judith Aldridge, Irene Salmon et al. 1999

Palliat Med

Effects of massage on pain and anxiety during labour: a randomized controlled trial in Taiwan

“…(1997) investigated the use of massage of the head, shoulder, back and feet by the partner at approximately 3–5 cm cervical dilation found that mothers receiving massage for 20 minutes reported a decrease in anxiety, pain and agitated activity, as well as a more positive affect and shorter labour. Furthermore, the presence of a supportive individual may relieve symptoms of anxiety and decrease pain levels (Henneborn & Cogan 1975, Herr & Mobily 1992). …”

Mei-Yueh Chang, Shing-Yaw Wang, Chung–Hey Chen 2002

Journal of Advanced Nursing

Massage Therapy for Children With Cancer

“…of the use of CAM in children with cancer, massage therapy is consistently among the top 5 therapies most commonly used (Bold & Leis, 2001;Fernandez, Stutzer, MacWilliam, & Fryer, 1998;McCurdy, Spangler, Wofford, Chauvenet, & McLean, 2003;Molassiotis & Cubbin, 2004;Post-White, Sencer, & Fitzgerald, 2000). Massage has reduced anxiety, depression, and cortisol levels in children and adolescents with eating disorders, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, juvenile arthritis, and asthma (Field, 2002;Field et al, 1998;Field, Hernandez-Reif, Diego, Schanberg, & Kuhn, 2005). …”

“…of the use of CAM in children with cancer, massage therapy is consistently among the top 5 therapies most commonly used (Bold & Leis, 2001;Fernandez, Stutzer, MacWilliam, & Fryer, 1998;McCurdy, Spangler, Wofford, Chauvenet, & McLean, 2003;Molassiotis & Cubbin, 2004;Post-White, Sencer, & Fitzgerald, 2000). Massage has reduced anxiety, depression, and cortisol levels in children and adolescents with eating disorders, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, juvenile arthritis, and asthma (Field, 2002;Field et al, 1998;Field, Hernandez-Reif, Diego, Schanberg, & Kuhn, 2005). Adults with cancer have responded to massage by experiencing less anxiety (Ahles et al, 1999;Cassileth & Vickers, 2004;Hernandez-Reif et al, 2005;Post-White et al, 2003), less fatigue (Ahles et al, 1999;Cassileth & Vickers, 2004;Hernandez-Reif et al, 2005), less acute pain (Cassileth & Vickers, 2004;Hernandez-Reif et al, 2005;Post-White et al, 2003;Grealish, Lomasney, & Whiteman, 2000), less nausea (Ahles et al, 1999;Cassileth & Vickers, 2004;Grealish et al, 2000), and improved mood (Hernandez-Reif et al, 2005;Post-White et al, 2003).…”

Janice Post-White, Maura Fitzgerald, Kay Savik et al. 2008

J Pediatr Oncol Nurs

Effectiveness & safety of massage in the treatment of anxiety and depression in patients with cancer

“…[ 20 ] According to a report, in North American medical centers, massage treatment as a supportive treatment is gradually available for cancer survivors to improve comfort level, lessen symptoms and related side effects. [ 21 ] Many studies have found that massage can reduce muscle fatigue, improve blood flow, relax mood as well as relieve cancer symptoms such as anxiety, depression, pain, and nausea. [ 20 , 22 – 24 ] Moreover, the result which was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) also demonstrated that massage could relieve anxiety and depression of cancer survivors. …”

Siyu Qin, Yuanyi Xiao, Zhenhai Chi et al. 2020

Medicine